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Day: 12 September 2022

Riviera Electric Challenge returns with new location

by: Stephanie Horsman
12/09/2022

The 8th Riviera Electric Challenge, an event focused on sustainable mobility combined with the excitement of racing, returns this September with the Place du Palais Princier hosting the finish line for the first time ever.

The Riviera Electric Challenge has been around since 2015 and originated as a collaboration between the Mairie of Cagnes sur Mer and Monaco Durable Development Trade Show (MC2D) as a way of showcasing the abilities of electric vehicles via a race.

The first six editions ended at the Grimaldi Forum, but last year the event moved finish line locations, with the winners crossing the line at the Oceanographic Museum. For 2022 the race, which is held on the 14th and 15th of September, will conclude in a new spot, the Place du Palais Princier, where the cars will gather and Prince Albert II will be in attendance from 6pm.

There will be 50 electric vehicles racing with two drivers per car, including two teams from the Monaco Mairie and one from the Energy Transition Mission.

Says Monaco Mayor, Georges Marsan proudly, “This year again, four members of the Municipal Council are involved in the adventure: Françoise Gamerdinger, Karyn Ardisson Salopek, Mélanie Flachaire and Jacques Pastor. Last year, one of our two crews distinguished itself brilliantly by winning 1st Prize in the Consumption Ranking. For this edition, I know that I can once again count on my colleagues to represent our Institution with dignity.”

The course is 240 kilometres in total over a 48-hour period featuring several stages in a route that will see the drivers pass through roads in Monaco, France and Italy, and includes some new spots.  

“The route takes the mythical Col de Turini for the first time as well as the Col Langan, the famous crossing point of the San Remo Rally,” Mayor Marsan said.

The drivers will gather in Cagnes sur Mer between 2pm and 4:30pm on the 13th September where they will be given their racing numbers as well as going through the necessary technical checks. A safety meeting will then be held at 5:30pm. 

This carbon neutral event is in keeping with Monaco’s gradual switch to non-internal combustion vehicles, which is part of the bigger picture European plan of completely stopping the sale of petrol-fuelled cars by 2035.

For over two decades, Monaco has been championing the move to electric vehicles, with its first subsidies measure initiated in 1994 for professional electric vehicles, and more recently in 2002 to individuals. This was extended to hybrid car owners in 2004.

As a partial result of this forward-thinking approach, Monaco now has 5,849 electric or hybrid cars registered. This is about 12% of the country’s cars. They benefit from over 1,200 complementary charging stations and regulated street parking. 

 

 

 

Photo source: Mairie de Monaco

 

 

 

 

Monaco cap perfect week with victory

by: Luke Entwistle
12/09/2022

AS Monaco edged Olympique Lyonnais 2-1 at the Stade Louis II on Sunday evening to secure their third victory in the space of a week and significantly scale the Ligue 1 table.

Only a week ago, Philippe Clement’s side languished in 16th place in the Ligue 1 table, but by the end of their thrilling victory against Peter Bosz’s Lyon, they were up to seventh, and just two points behind their opponents on the night, who had enjoyed a blistering start to the season.

The context that surrounded the game makes the victory all the more impressive. Monaco were yet to win a game at the Stade Louis II this season in four attempts. Although there were admittedly mitigating circumstances for some of those results, notably some incredibly harsh red cards, the first victory of the season in front of the home fans was sorely needed.

As Clement told Monaco Life, “You mustn’t forget that this is the first time that we have played 11v11 in the championship at the Stade Louis II. I didn’t have any doubt in my mind about the fact that we hadn’t won at home.”

Preparation for the game was also difficult and put into sharp focus Sunday night’s achievement. Following their 1-0 win against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia, the team only arrived back in the Principality late on Friday and had one day to prepare.

Whilst there were some signs of fatigue in some players late-on, Monaco matched a more refreshed Lyon side’s energy.

The first-half of the tie was littered with half-chances. Lyon had their own chances, but the best fell to Monaco. Krépin Diatta hit the foot of the post with a swivelled volley and seconds later, Breel Embolo’s free header from eight yards out was straight at Anthony Lopes in the Lyon goal.

Although an entertaining game, there was a distinct lack of goals. That changed in the second-half. Monaco have greatly improved from direct set-pieces, and there was further evidence of that against Lyon.

Caio Henrique’s corner was well met by Benoît Badiashile, who had worked himself a free header and made no mistake with the finish. Monaco earned another set piece just minutes later and it was once again Henrique who found one of his centre-backs.

This time, his free-kick was met by Guillermo Maripán, who doubled Monaco’s lead. Half of Monaco’s goals this season have now come from set pieces, an area of Monaco’s game that has been under-exploited in recent times.

However, Lyon weren’t out of the game and launched a barrage on Monaco’s goal. Alexander Nübel, who had one of his finest games in a Monaco jersey had already saved brilliantly from Alexandre Lacazette and he was repeatedly called upon in the final moments.

The Bayern Munich loanee couldn’t do anything about Karl Toko Ekambi’s volley, but he secured the three points late on with a brilliant close-range stop from Moussa Dembélé, who looked destined to level the scores.

But Monaco held on to cap a perfect week. Mentally, they now look to have definitively consigned their Champions League play-off defeat to the past and their rapid ascent up the table is a manifestation of that. They next face Ferencvaros in Monaco on Thursday before travelling to Reims on Sunday.

 

Photo by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life

 

 

 

AS Monaco’s ‘La Diagonale’ academy centre inaugurated

by: Luke Entwistle
12/09/2022

La Diagonale, AS Monaco’s academy training complex, was inaugurated on Thursday just days after the historic inauguration of the club’s performance centre in La Turbie.

Called ‘La Diagonale,’ the building, which houses AS Monaco’s academy, is located just a stone’s throw away from the Stade Louis II. The arches of the iconic stadium can be seen from the windows of the modern complex, and act as a visual reminder both for the young players, as well as the staff, as to why they carry out the work they do.

The building, situated in Cap d’Ail, was completed in 2020, but the Covid pandemic delayed its official inauguration, which happened on Thursday in the presence of Prince Albert II and Monaco CEO Jean-Emmanuel de Witt.

As de Witt told Monaco Life, the construction of La Diagonale, as well as the performance centre perched upon the hill that overlooks the Principality, are “inextricably linked.”

“This year we took the decision to create the ‘Elite Group’ rather than playing in National 2. Why did we do that? Because we want to reduce the gap between the young players and the professional players. The two infrastructures that you’ve seen this week, in the space of just a few days, work hand in hand,” said de Witt. “It [the construction of La Diagonale] fits completely into the club’s philosophy. We recruit players very, very early [scouting as young as 10 and recruiting from 13]. Then we train them in football, but also in Monégasque football. Every team has its style and so it’s very important, both in terms of values and in terms of football, that we can train them to develop within our professional squad in the future. That’s what we hope.”

Monaco are well-known as a formatory club, and so the new centre, which brings together all elements of day-to-day life under one roof, is important to withhold that image. However, the most important thing is the development of these players, not just as footballers, but as humans, as was stressed during Monaco Life’s tour of the facilities.

A gym, a swimming pool, a medical department, classrooms and accommodation are all on sight, minimising lost time through travelling between sites. As youth goalkeeper Alain Zadi, who has often trained with the club’s first team, told Monaco Life, “Everything we need is here.”

On an educational level, the academy is already producing stellar results, with the club maintaining a 100% success record in the baccalaureat three years on the trot. And the results are showing on the pitch. Benoît Badiashile, Eliot Matazo, Maghnes Akliouche and Soungoutou Magassa are just the latest in a long line of academy products that have gone on to lay for the club’s professional side.

La Diagonale allows the club to perpetuate the it’s philosophy of promoting and trusting young players, whilst also showcasing the best of Monégasuqe football and attracting the best youth to the club. That’s a winning combination, which the club hope will allow them to consolidate their position amongst the European elite and hunt for more silverware in the immediate, as well as the distant future.

 

 

 

Photo: Ekaterina Rybolovleva, Prince Albert II and  Juan Sartori by Luke Entwistle, Monaco Life.

 

 

 

 

Mairie reveals autumn programme of youth activities

by: Stephanie Horsman
12/09/2022

The Monaco Mairie has three super-fun events planned for pre-teens and teens this autumn as part of the Junior Communal Project.

The programme of events was presented at a recent press conference at A Fàbrica in Princesse Antoinette Park by Mayor Georges Marsan and members of the Municipal Council.

It is part of the Junior Communal Project, where proposals from local middle school students are taken into consideration and then decided upon.

The first event takes place on 17th September, when young people aged 10 to 17 are invited to take part in a giant role-playing game inspired by the game ‘Among Us’. The event lasts from 9:30am to 6pm and will be held at Princesse Antoinette Park.

Next up is a spooky celebration for Halloween at the Espace Leo Ferré where a DJ will play top hits, and kids from 6th to 4th grades are invited to dress up and join in the fun. The party lasts from 6pm to 10pm.

Last up is the Ice Party, an evening of skating at the Stade Rainier III for kids aged 12 to 17, from 7pm to 11:30pm. This takes place on Wednesday 7th December, the night before a public holiday.

The Junior Communal Project was conceived in June 2021 when, in collaboration with the Department of National Education, Youth and Sports and under the supervision of two teachers, Sylvie Leporati, and Philippe Nicolas, a class from Charles III College presented six entertainment projects intended for young people attending school in the Principality to the Municipal Council.

For more info and to purchase tickets to any or all of the events, visit the Mairie’s website on https://www.mairie.mc/

 

 

 

Photo source: Mairie de Monaco

 

 

 

 

 

Installations for the MYS begin, disruptions planned

by: Stephanie Horsman
12/09/2022

The enormous set up for the Monaco Yacht Show is now underway, but with the prep comes a few minor inconveniences such as street closures and parking bans. Here’s more on the affected areas.

The Monaco Yacht Show (MYS) is one of the Principality’s biggest events. Since 1991, it has been the place to be for the superyachting world, with exceptional boats for sale and exhibits by world yachting professionals.

This year, the show, which runs from 28th September to 1st October, will be no different, and the excitement is already building.

As arrangements start, the Port Hercule area, namely the Quai des Etats-Unis/Avenue J.F. Kennedy, the Route de la Piscine and the Quai Antoine Ier, will see some traffic disturbances for both motorists and pedestrians beginning 12th September.

Bans on parking will be necessary and alterations to traffic and pedestrian circulation may also affect the public, with total cuts occurring on occasion over the set-up period.

According to a statement on Monday by the government, the event’s organisers are doing their best to cause the least amount of disruption and are putting systems in place to keep people moving, particularly during peak hours. Occasional easing of restrictions will thus allow the drop-off of children attending school nearby and the implementation of temporary traffic patterns will facilitate deliveries.

Parking for two-wheeled vehicles that habitually use the Quai Antoine Ier will be provided on Quarantine Avenue and in the La Digue Public Car Park until after the Monaco Yacht Show, with complete normalcy returning by 13th October.

 

 

Photo credit: Michael Alesi, Government Communication Department